Attachment parenting philosophy stems from the idea that your child is better prepared for life as an independent, well-adjusted adult when he/she has been nurtured with love and attention. The principles of attachment parenting include responsiveness to your baby’s needs and frequent nurturing.
Although the term is newer, parents have practiced attachment parenting for generations. The only difference is that it has now been given a name.
So, What is attachment parenting?
Attachment parenting is the practice of nurturing children and creating an environment in which they can thrive. The benefits of attachment parenting can be seen in the parent-child relationship and the ways that it affects development and growth. Many of the components that define attachment parenting can be seen in cultures worldwide, but it has been defined as a modern parenting style. The practice includes:
What are some guidelines to follow when practicing attachment parenting?
- Love and responsiveness – Responsiveness to your baby’s needs and frequent nurturing are encouraged. During the first years of life, children need more attention than at any other time as we are teaching them how to trust others as they build their personalities.
- Trust – The best attachment parenting comes from trust. Trust is the foundation of all human relationships. It is especially important to encourage trust in a parent-child relationship.
- Attachment – Attachment is a synonym for love and closeness. It refers to the bond between child and parents that forms over time as your baby looks to you for love and security. The emotional attachment between a mother and her child is formed when the baby looks to his mother for comfort.
- Sleep – Sleep is an important component of a healthy attachment parenting style. Lack of sleep has often been linked to depression, illness, and learning disabilities in today’s society. A study in 2005 found that the effects of sleep deprivation are similar to those of alcohol intoxication. Sleeping with your baby helps you form a bond with him/her while also allowing the two of you to get proper rest at night. With the help of EMDR Therapy Toronto you can recover from the depression, anxiety and illness.
- Physical activity is a key component of attachment parenting. Physical activity helps children develop trust in their parents and can promote a healthy weight, body image, and self-esteem.
- Environmental factors – The growing environmental threats to our environment are significant to many of the parents’ health concerns today, such as childhood obesity, asthma, and cancer. Attachment parenting advocates the importance of preparing your child for the future by creating a healthy environment as an infant.
- Natural – Attachment parenting emphasizes natural health for your child, focusing on foods that aid in the development of healthy immune systems and bodies and lifestyle choices such as breastfeeding and avoiding excessive use of antibiotics.
- Breastfeeding is a natural method of feeding your child, which starts a lifelong love of good nutrition that comes from nature. Breast milk provides your baby with all the nutrition and antibodies he/she needs to grow healthy and strong. The nutritional value of breast milk has been scientifically proven to be superior to that of formula.
- Siblings – Siblings play a significant role in a child’s life from conception onward, as they provide opportunities for play and learning within their family unit. The attachment between brothers and sisters can help encourage the development of happiness and compassion and lower the risk for depression and other mental health problems
